Adventures with the Roths

We had the privilege of hosting both of our sisters and their families this month!  Once the Wildhabers returned home, we had one and a half days to change sheets on the beds, go grocery shopping and prepare for Olli's sister and her family's arrival. 

The Roths were fortunate enough to have excellent weather the entire time they were visiting (and even missed Hurricane Sandy by a few hours!).  We did several similar activities with them as we did with the Wildhabers like apple picking, pumpkin picking, the Freedom Trail and some fall baking (Steffi shared a delicious recipe for pumpkin soup with us that we all enjoyed!).  However, we also took them to Plymouth to tour the Mayflower replica and Plymouth Plantation.  

Sophia, Julius and Lukas using this pulley system to feed the goats at Honey Pot Hill Orchards

Steffi, Julius, Lukas and Sophia on the hay ride at Honey Pot Hill

Lukas, Isabel and Sophia in front of the monument for Plymouth Rock

Lukas and Isabel with Plymouth Rock in the background

A family photo in front of the Mayflower

Lukas trying out a Native American game, which involves hooking animal toe bones  onto a leg bone at Plymouth Plantation

Isabel grinding corn into cornmeal at Plymouth Plantation 

All four cousins helping to shake out (and carry inside) some of the bedding for the settlers' houses on Plymouth Plantation 

Finished with the job of carrying in the bedding 

Jochen carving the pumpkin 

Lukas helping to scoop out some of the inside of the pumpkin.  We baked some of the seeds and enjoyed them with our pumpkin soup (that we made from another pumpkin we picked)

Who's that man with the pumpkin head?

The finished product

Sophia raking leaves in our driveway 

The other cousins raking leaves.  It looks like Lukas' love for outdoor chores is contagious!

We have been so thankful for our van these past few weeks and the room is allowed for 4 carseats and 3 adults on our trips while Olli was at work.

Olli throwing tea overboard at the Boston Tea Party Museum--something he did as a young adult with his parents on their wedding anniversary trip through New England years ago!   

Fall Fun with the Wildhabers

We recently enjoyed ten days with my sister and her family when they came to visit us in Boston this month.  The leaves were beginning to turn so we took every opportunity we could to do some fall activities.  During their stay with us, we went apple picking, pumpkin picking, baked apple crumble and took a hay ride around a farm.  We also made a special trip to Edaville Railroad to take a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine.

In rained a few days, some of us were fighting colds and Isabel had croup so we were forced to stay inside more than I would have preferred, but good company always cheers the soul no matter what the circumstances are so we had a wonderful time together!

Unfortunately, I didn't bring our "good camera" on our outings and I forgot one altogether at times so we don't have as many quality photos as I would like to document our time together. However, the sweet memories of Mia's laughter, "please" and "thank you" exchanges between Liam and Isabel when sharing toys and happy noises heard when Lukas was entertaining Mia are ingrained on my mind regardless.

Liam, Lukas and Isabel holding hands on their way to the apple orchards at Honey Pot Hill  

Lukas climbing a ladder propped against a tree in order to reach the highest apples.  

Isabel climbing the same ladder

Lukas with the fruit of his labor 

Isabel already enjoying an apple that she picked (see her right hand) 

Evidence of how hard it is to get three young cousins all looking in the same direction!  Beautiful scenery behind them though. :-)

Lukas and Isabel passing time while waiting for Thomas the Tank Engine to begin pulling our train 

A family photo in front of Thomas the Tank Engine after our train ride

Lukas on the Red Baron Ride at Edaville

Liam and Isabel piloting an airplane on the Red Baron Ride

Having fun driving a "large railroad machine" (Code for: "I have no idea what this thing is, but it's big!") 

Lukas on top of a straw mountain at the pumpkin patch  

Olli with the two kids in the pumpkin patch

The cousins looking for the perfect pumpkin